28 Chikomba • At Sengwe Township in Chihvu, 15 unnamed Zanu (PF) supporters kidnapped Cry Manyame, Wunganayi Tapfumaneyi and Edmore Mudeveni and took them to Chinyamungororo Heroes Acre, beat them up and dumped them there. The trio was at first ordered to beat each other up, but when they failed to do this ‘hard enough’, they were assaulted by their abductors. A Zanu (PF) vehicle with 17 men including two locals was used to abduct numerous MDC supporters in Chikomba, four of whom were tortured. • At Maronda Mashanu in Chihvu, Zanu (PF) supporters severely beat the wife of Maronda Mashanu High School Headmaster, Mugazi. Mugazi’s wife was beaten as her assailants accused her husband of supporting the MDC. The family was forced the flee the area as a result. • On 7 September, in the Marondamashanu area, five members of the ZRP support unit picked up MDC supporter Tinapi Diura, from his house and took him to their offices where they questioned him about the alleged assault of a Zanu (PF) chairman at the MDC base. They then assaulted him before taking him to Chivhu Cemetery where Diura was released into the custody of Zanu (PF) youths. The youths took him to Chivhu Hall and assaulted him with batons. Diura was released three hours later and ordered to rub off MDC slogans on the road and buildings with paint before they threw him into the Zvivangwe River, 46km away from his homestead. Diura was assaulted for setting up a base for MDC supporters and the candidate at his home. He said he initially went with the police officers because they did not seem threatening. • On 11 September, at Umboo School in Chihvu, unnamed Zanu (PF) supporters abducted the headmaster, Felix Mazava. Mazava was taken to the Chivhu-Marondera road where he was bludgeoned with iron bars. He died early the following morning. The post-mortem revealed that Mazava had a deep tab wound on left side of the chest, which led to internal bleeding. He also had multiple fractures on both arms and a deep gash on left side of head. Mazava was reported as having been killed by Zanu (PF) supporters in The Daily News. The Herald reported that Mazava had defected from the MDC and joined Zanu (PF) and was wearing a Zanu (PF) t-shirt at the time of his death. However, Mazava’s relatives insisted that he had not resigned from the MDC; Mazava had been threatened by Zanu (PF) members on four different occasions. • On 18 September, in Chihvu, Zanu (PF) supporters kidnapped five unnamed MDC supporters. Four MDC youths were kidnapped and assaulted at district heroes’ acre (Chinyamungororo). One MDC official was kidnapped while campaigning in Maronda Mashanu, thrown into Ziyagwe River and then dumped in Buhera. He was hospitalized at Parirenyatwa. • On 20 September, in Sadza, members of the ZRP arrested MDC constituency coordinator for Chikomba, Virginia Gwena, MDC MP for Mbare East, Tichaona Munyanyi and 19 electoral agents and electioneers for allegedly moving around at night. They were held in cells overnight and released without explanation on the morning before polling started. • On 20 September, war veteran militias abducted Regis Chikonyati from Chambara School. Chikonyati was still missing after three days. Zanu (PF) based its entire campaigning on nighttime door-to-door visits. Election agents were arrested on their return from training in Harare. Information about the incident is attributed to Piniel Denga, MDC provincial chair ME, whose vehicle was stolen by ‘war veterans’ shortly before Chikonyati’s kidnapping. AMANI TRUST: Organised Violence and Torture in the Bye-Elections held in Zimbabwe during 2000 and 2001.